Trade and Urban Centres in the Pre-Colonial Assam

Authors

  • Tarun Kr. Halder Assistant Professor and HoD, History, Ratnapith College, Bahalpur, Chapar
  • Dr. Kartik Ch. Sutradhar Associate Professor of History, Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31305/rrijm.2025.v10.n5.005

Keywords:

Market, Temple, Resource, Emperor, Strategic

Abstract

Urbanisation is a process through which villages transform into towns. In general urbanisation signifies agricultural to non-agricultural state and transformations of towns into cities. The first urbanization happened in India about five thousand years ago in Indus valley. The second urbanization may be observed in India in the six century BCE, when a considerable number of towns and trade centres came into existence. Whereas the emergence of urban centres in Assam can be traced in 1500 BCE, which is predated to the great war of Mahabharata. Several towns and trade centres came into existence in different corners of the state because of their strategic locations, socio-cultural evolution, individual efforts of monarchs and bureaucrats, deposit of natural resources, centring round temples, surplus agro-based products and craft industries and as seat of the governments. This paper attempts to study emergence of towns, markets and trade centres in pre-colonial Assam.

Author Biographies

Tarun Kr. Halder, Assistant Professor and HoD, History, Ratnapith College, Bahalpur, Chapar

Tarun Kr. Halder, presently working as an Assistant Professor and Head in the Department of History, Ratnapith College, Bahalpur-Chapar, which is affiliated to Gauhati University. He completed post-graduation in History from Gauhati University and presently pursuing Ph.D. in Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University, Cooch Behar. He is a Life Member of the North East India History Association (NEIHA). He co-authored a book entitled ‘Great Britainor Itihas’. His edited books are: ‘Revisiting North East India: History, Society and Ethnicity’, ‘Uttaran’ Vol. IV and ‘Unsung Heroes of Freedom Struggle: With Special Reference to North East India’. He published many chapters and articles in many reputed books and journals. He presented papers in many national/international seminars and attended conference, faculty development programmes and workshop.

Dr. Kartik Ch. Sutradhar, Associate Professor of History, Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University

Dr. Kartik Ch. Sutradhar, working as an Associate Professor (former HoD) of History, Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University, Cooch Behar. He completed M.A. in History and was awarded the degree of Ph.D. from University of North Bengal. His books and edited books are: ‘Duarsher Bhumi Rajaswa Byabastha (1772-1947)’, ‘Bibartaner Dharay Uttarbanger Samaj- Arthaniti O Sanskriti’, ‘A Re-look on Ideas and Thoughts of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’, ‘Jiban Nodir Banke Banke- An Autobiography of Amar Roy Prodhan’, ‘Samaj Dharma O Arthaniti: Prosanga Uttarbanga’, ‘Land and Livelihood: A Study on the Agro-Political Movements of a Bengal District Jalpaiguri (1869-2004)’, ‘Itihas O Oityye Kamrup Cooch Behar, Society’, ‘Economy and Environment of Tista-Brahmaputra Valley’. He completed Minor Research Project on ‘Land Related Problems and Peasants Reactions of a Bengal District, Jalpaiguri. He contributed many chapters and articles in many reputed books and journals. He chaired and delivered lecture in many national/international seminar/conference/workshops etc.

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Published

19-05-2025

How to Cite

Halder, T. K., & Sutradhar, K. C. (2025). Trade and Urban Centres in the Pre-Colonial Assam. RESEARCH REVIEW International Journal of Multidisciplinary, 10(5), 42–49. https://doi.org/10.31305/rrijm.2025.v10.n5.005

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 5 (2025): RESEARCH REVIEW International Journal of Multidisciplinary

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Articles

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